Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Reading your biography it says you started with rock as genre and then slowly moved to electronic, explain this big transformation.

Growing up I was constantly surrounded by music. My mother is a very good pianist as was my grandfather and my father plays a fairly mean guitar.. Growing up I was exposed to all sorts of music from Beethoven to Cream and I was fascinated by how sounds fitted together and everything flowed together. I started playing the piano at age 6 and the flute at eleven both of which I continued until Matric. When I was thirteen I started learning the drums and that was when I realized that all I wanted to do was music. In high school I started playing in the schools Jazz band and that led to garage rock bands and a love for rock music fueled by the solid sounds of the 60's and 70's. I spent years fooling around in garage bands and consuming all the music I could, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else out there that I was meant to do. somewhere around Standard 6(Grade 8) I remember The Prodigy - Experience came out and when I heard it I knew that electronic music was what I wanted to play and make..I was fascinated by the sounds and the rythm. It had everything I was looking for the rawness of rock and metal, with these psychodelic sounds and relentless multilayered beats.. I was hooked.

Many rock lovers don’t like electronic and say electronic artists are just pushing buttons, what would you say to this statement seeing that you came from rock?

I don't think that a lot of people realise the true complexity of electronic music. It is very easy to judge something if you don't truly understand it. I guess that the same could be said for someone who does not understand rock music watching a band.. At the end of the day music is music and if it affects you in any way then the artist has been succesful in their intention.

You studied at the Cape Audio Collage. Tell us a bit more about your studies and your experiences.

Cape Audio College was a turning point for me. It opened my eyes to the complexity and depth involved in producing music of all genres. Prior to studying at Cape Audio I was at Wits studying Dramatic Arts and although I was already producing my own music I had no idea just how little of the surface I had actually scratched. I was fortunate to be in the same class as both Greg Reve (Triplet of Belville) and Adam Metcalf (Headroom) so it really pushed me to suceed. After Cape Audio College I was doing live sound and programming and I was brought back into the fold at CAC as an instructor and I was responsible for redeveloping their Electronic Music Production Course and DJ Courses. I spent a very happy 6 years there.. I love that place and their main studio was for many years my second home.

In your opinion, is it necessary to study today to make a living in the music industry?

I think it is always important to study full stop. Especially if you are going to venture into such a niche industry like the Music Industry. In order to be truly successful you need to be better than your competition. One of my lecturers at WITS always used to say take a look at the people on your left and right.. They are not your friends they are your competition. It sounds harsh to say, but it is true. The industry is tough and unforgiving and you need all the smarts you can to give you an edge. Also there is a big difference between making tunes in your bedroom and actually working with clients in the industry...

What would you say to someone that wants to become a electronic artist like yourself, what is the first steps to take?

Just start doing it. It is amazing how much information is available to you. These days you have a number of Digital audio Workstations and instruments available to you, you have unlimited resources via the internet and dedicated monthly music publications like Sound on Sound and Computer Music. When you start writing you instinctivly think that what you just wrote is the sh*t, We all thought that, but the real learning comes from having the guts to put your music out there, to have it torn apart and then take all of the criticisms and suggestions and apply them constructively to your next track.. it is an ongoing process.

Why do most electronic artist work on Mac Laptops?

In my opinion Macs are just absolute work horses. They are stable and reliable and were designed to perform with high intensity operations like music, video and design. My Mac has been everywhere from the studio to Earthdance to Daisies. I look after it and it looks after me.

What has been your most memorable gig thus far and why?

I have two. Oppikoppi this year was mental. I played after Kid Fonque who is one of my favourite DJ's. The stage was sick and the system was off the hook and I got to take Saturday evening into Saturday night. I remember I was so into the set when all of a sudden Jake Lipman from Bteam popped up next to me handed me a beer and said look at that Stevie.. It was only then that I realised that the whole Koppie and dance floor were packed and everyone was just losing it!!!
The second was Earthdance also this year. I got to play one of the main sets and straight after SIBOT so I was super nervous.. I remember walking up onto stage just before Si finished playing and starting to set up and just seeing this heaving maelstrom of people.. It was an epic night..

You play a lot at The Assembly, what makes this venue different to others in your opinion?

The Assembly is like home to me. I really enjoy playing there, the sound is always fat and the crowd just loves to party. Also the intentions behind the club are honest and it really is a venue aimed at uplifting the music scene in Cape Town, providing a platform for established artists and helping to nurture young talent

How do you go by making new material?

I find the production of new material to be a very organic experience. I often find that I have watched or read something that plants a seed of an idea.. All I know is that I feel the need to write music all the time.. Once I am locked in to a new track I will work on it exclusively until it is finished. I truly believe that everything you start should be finished and to be honest more often than not it turns out very differently from how you originally envisioned it.

How do you feel about mixing your own song from scratch comparing to remixing a international hit?

Mixing my own material is probably the most time consuming part of the creative process. I am super O.C.D when it comes to how my tracks sound and I think that I sometimes over think the mixes. I usually end up with seven or eight versions of the pre master before I am happy with it. The same applies to the mixes I do for clients and for the studio although it is a little harder because you have to combine the client or bands vision with your own creativity. Remixing for me is my escape, it is a way to keep work(if you can call it that) fun and challenging. I really enjoy taking a track and stripping it down to its bare essentials and then rebuilding it in my own way with my own flavor.

What artists do you love to perform with?

It's a long list.. But I have to say Sibot, he is an incredibly talented musician and his live show is mind blowing. Bteam because they always have so much fun on stage regardless. Mr. Sakitumi and Card On Spokes because they are exceptional multi talented musicians with phenomenal live shows. 7Ft Soundsystem because Yves is such a great producer, and then Haezer and Double Adapter simply for the fact that I always have an amazing time with them.

For those that don’t know AudioPhile 021, where can they get a taste of what to expect at a live show?

Music wise they can simply visit my soundcloud page. There are also videos scattered across the youtube etc. Bbut if you want a discription in a nutshell I guess you could say my sets start off like an episode of Wharehouse 13 and end up like a cross between Jurassic Park and Star Wars.

We know you are a DJ at night, but what is your day job?

I am the head engineer at Red Bull Studio in Cape Town, where I get to work with both established and emerging musicians to create unique cutting edge music. It really is an amazing job and I get to meet and work with some truly incredible people.

Any exciting news you can give us on AudioPhile 021?

I have a couple of cool colab projects on the go at the moment and I am also in the process of completing a number of remixes for various artists. However, the most exciting thing for me at the moment is not even music related. I am getting married in December and I am super excited.

Recently I was asked to do remixes for two South African groups The Frown and The Wild Eyes.
Both have completely different and unique sounds and make exceptionally good music, and I was more than happy to take on the challenge... Have a listen and let me know what you think!!

I really do love what I do.... I present to you Red Bull Studio Sessions Volume 3... Words taken from the review of the CD on the Red Bull Studio Cape Town Webpage written by Jake Lipman.

"The third installment in the Red Bull Studio Sessions series is a milestone and a testament to the power of great, electronic music in South Africa. Over the Series the Studio has given listeners the opportunity to explore tunes from some of South Africa’s top producers including the likes of Spoek Mathmabo, Gazelle and Mix n Blend as well as showcasing the best rising stars on the scene such as the Ruffest, Das Kapital and O’ltak all of who recorded and produced music in the studio.

The Red Bull Studio Sessions 03 presented and mixed by the Studio’s head sound engineer and very own musical monolith, Audiophile021, is a well-woven audible tapestry of some of the musicians and producers who have come through the corrugated gates of the Studio on the tip of the African continent.

The mix starts out sublimely with Dub-Techno duo, Soft Touch Operation and ebbs progressively along through the Kwaito and Afro-house inspired tracks of DJ MX and Floyd Lavine through the deep murky waters of internationally acclaimed Jullian Gomes. It builds steadily into more dance-floor destroying electro-chargers from the likes of Twelv, a massive Double Adapter Remix of The Wild eyes “Vampire Radio” and offerings from legends such as Sibot and SFR.

Audiophile021 begins to wind down his exploration through Sonics with a more dub-minded look at the Studio’s fruits with his collaboration with 7ft Soundsystem, followed by a gem from aforementioned Das Kapital. He rounds off the mix with a group of multi-instrumentalists in the form of Yesterday’s Pupil link up with Tumi Molekane, Mr. Sakitumi and a taste of the New EP release from Card on Spokes, softly landing us back on Earth with Oltak’s Red Moon.

The Red Bull Studio Sessions 03 follows perfectly in a lineage of mixes steeped in class, pedigree and education for an audience that has become accustom to expect great new music from the Studio.

Alongside its usual slick packaging design, this Red Bull Studio Sessions 03 offering comes complete with a booklet covering the objectives and history of the Studio and it’s counterparts the world over. The Studio network is instrumental in developing, nurturing and showcasing the talent each host city has to offer. It is also a hub for visiting artists from around the world, to find some comfort away from home with the state-of-the-art equipment and laid back, highly competent studio team who are always keen to accommodate and enjoy the company of some of the most exciting international artists including Public Enemy, Dj Craze, Sasha and Steve Aoki to name a few.

The Studio’s main focus is on the public it serves and this is evident through its open-door policy and informative discussion sessions with the international and local guests it welcomes constantly. Previous guests have included Music industry champion Dave Chislett, South Africa House Ambassador Black Coffee and Vinny Da Vinci alongside many others.

With a high emphasis on availability, the Red Bull Studio is plugged into every main facet of the technologically advanced musical landscape through all major internet channels including Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud and MXit to best ensure everybody is not only afforded the opportunity to expose their sounds to the Studio Team for consideration, but also so that everyone can get a large slice of the magic that is being cooked up everyday."

This year the Red Bull Studio Live stage rolled into Rocking The Daisies and obliterated everything in it's path.. Truly an amazing all encompassing experience, The Cathederal as it was dubbed, held thousands of captivated festival goers for hours on end... It was three days I will not soon forget and a set I never forget.. Read more about our exploits here.. Red Bull Studio Cape Town Web Page - Rocking The Daisies Round Up Day 2

"After the excitement of Maximum Signal Control, we all had high hopes for our little Sound-System in the wide-open expanses of Nekkies Resort in Worcester, where the annual Earthdance Festival is held. Wow, did she deliver!

The three-day festival is an amalgamation of Psychedelic Trance, World-ish music and Dance / Electronica being spread over three stages with food stalls and market style shops dotting the landscape between the debauchery and musical delight that is provided by each dancefloor. People are in no short supply, with the festival having gained massive support as one of the best on the calendar that makes up the summer fest season in Cape Town.

This year was a great wake-up call and testament to the power of electronic music and the sound that is being so heavily pushed by the Red Bull Studio and its musical friends around the country. The Music Box Stage has provided a platform for a wide range of styles, From Electro, Techno and many other forms of Dance music, to the more sit-down-and-listen styles of Glitch and Dub. The programming of the Music Box stage was varied and widely-encompassing, and truly an excellent example of South Africa's musical range but also the Red Bull Sound System."

I had the time of my life and possibly one of the best sets I have played.. The crowd was amazing, the rig was HUGE and the party will go down as one of the best this year.. Thank you Earthdance and Red Bull Studio Cape Town.. Long live the Music Box!!!

So we recently got to build a sound system... Yup a fully fledged outdoor monster!!!!

Here is a little video that sums it up!!!

August 23, 2011 (Cape Town) -- As the first stop on the 10-city Red Bull Music Academy World Tour, Cape Town hosted the creation of a massive sound system from August 29 to September 1. Under the guidance of Dillinja and K-aze -- the visionaries behind the world-famous Valve Sound System (UK) -- and SIAN, DJ and founder of Octopus recordings (UK); some of South Africa's most prolific crews, DJs, promoters, producers and creative collectives were a part of the build. As a tribute to the nucleus of club culture, the sound system will now travel to some of the country's largest musical events.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

The Red Eyed Jedi E.P. drops with a reissue of the original and two brand new additions. The first is a massive drumstep refix by my good friend Callan Maart. The second is a grinding V.I.P. colaborative rework from myself and Callan.. I recently dropped this rework at Oppikoppi and it tore the floor apart...

Also out this month, is the new Biscope release Kalliweed. The release features two originals and two remixes. The first is a massive dubstep remix by Callan Maart and the second a Glitch Womp remix by myself..

Almost two weeks have passed and the dust cloud has just about settled over a small farm in Northam.. Oppikoppi festival is one of the top local festivals with over 5 stages and just under 20000 people in attendance.. It is one festival you want to play..

For the second year in a row the mighty electronic stage was hosted by the Red Bull Studio. The sound was incredible and the lighting and visuals were amazing. It was a privilege to be on the line up alongside the best in South Africa..

About Me

Steve Elsworth AKA Audiophile021 is an unquantifiable music powerhouse. A Sound engineer by trade, he spends most of his life enveloped in chords and rhythm. A DJ and producer - He perfectly marries solid production steeped in pure quality and original style, all the while making and playing tracks that rock a crowd to the floor boards.
Initially rooted in Rock and Metal, Audiophile021 quickly began flirting with electronic music, and his love affair with crunchy basslines and body-thumping drums rapidly grew into obsessive passion.
Audiophile021 has steadily ammased a music catalogue to put most to shame, and is set to take over with his blend of Glitchy, bit-driven dubstep, and heavily drum and synth laden deep techno.
His unrivalled natural energy is the life force behind a man who is as prolific as he is talented, injecting his infectious personality into every release and mix.